


in a crowd of thousands

by waltlindseyworld



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: F/M, I'm trying my best, Not Beta Read, an anastasia broadway au, author knows nothing about cons, ben is anya and rey is dimitry, it had to be written after listening to the soundtrack, it's my first fic pls be gentle, moderate angst, tags to be updated
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-17
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:48:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25344946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/waltlindseyworld/pseuds/waltlindseyworld
Summary: After the First Order attacks the Skywalker-Solo Castle, the entire royal family is presumed to be dead. Seven years later, there’s rumors throughout Coruscant that the young prince may have survived. Young con-woman Rey, and her partner, Poe, hear the rumors and plan to convince a naive boy that he’s the long lost Ben Solo and deliver him to the now queen of Naboo for a reward.
Relationships: Rey & Ben Solo, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren





	in a crowd of thousands

**Author's Note:**

> Hello lovelies!! This is my very first time writing fic, but I love Anastasia (broadway) and Reylo and felt the intense need to write this. I took plenty of artistic liberties with the Star Wars universe while writing this, so if planet names get confusing, that's why! I hope you all enjoy!

**Prologue**

_ 28 ABY  _

As a child, the person Ben loved more than anyone else was his grandmother. With his mother always busy with politics and his father away on some new adventure, Ben spent his days tailing his grandmama. In the months following his grandfather’s death, he watched as his beloved grandmama lost the spark in her eyes. His downfall started the evening Padme announced her plans to depart Corellia for her homeland of Naboo. 

“Grandmama, take me to Naboo with you,” Ben pleaded with her as she tucked him into bed. 

“My dear Benny, you know you must stay here with your parents. You’ll visit me one day with your mother and father,” Padme spoke gently as she ran her fingers through Ben’s hair. 

“Take me with you now. I want to be with you wherever you are,” Ben’s pleading made Padme’s heart ache. 

“You’re already with me, my boy. I’ll carry you in my heart wherever I go. I have a gift for you before I go,” Ben sat up as Padme removed a music box from the bag sitting beside her. He watched with wide eyes as Padme wound it up and the music started drifting through the air. “This was the song your grandfather would always play for me. Remember when we danced to it at the ball last year?” Ben nodded as he hugged the box close to his chest. “My love, when you get lonely, listen to the lullaby and think of an old woman who loves you very much.” 

With tears in his eyes, Ben flung his arms around Padme’s neck and hugged her tightly. “I’ll miss you very much grandmama. I promise I will come to Naboo to see you one day.” 

Padme smiled as she hugged Ben back. “I know Benny. When you visit, we’ll walk on the bridge named after your grandfather and watch the ballet. I’ll think of you every day, my love.” With a kiss on the forehead, Padme rose from the bed and bid Ben a good night. Blowing out the candle on her way out, she looked back once, smiling as Ben held the music box close. With the blink of the eye, Padme had left Ben behind. 

  
  


_ 31 ABY  _

On his tenth birthday, there’s a ball at the Skywalker-Solo castle. It’s a grand event, with all attendees dressed in their finest attire. Men and women are dancing gracefully with one another and children are chasing each other throughout the ballroom. Ben watches from the corner, choosing not to socialize with any of the guests. Besides, none of the guests knew it was his birthday anyways. His mother claimed it was just an unfortunate coincidence that the annual ball fell on his birthday this year. 

After too many hours of watching guests celebrate around him, Ben decided to leave and go for a walk around the castle grounds. He couldn’t go too far without the guards noticing he was missing, but he could at least sit in the quiet. 

Pulling the music box out of the messenger bag he always carried, he wound it up tightly, letting the soft sounds fill the silence around him. Tears filled his eyes as he thought of his grandmama in Naboo, missing her more and more everyday. In the years following her departure, he couldn’t help but feel that he was destined to be lonely. He had no siblings, and his parents were always busy with their own lives. His nannies tried to fill the role as parents, but none of them lasted long after experiencing Ben’s temper. 

Ben was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard yelling coming from the castle. He stood quickly and started running towards the ballroom. Guards were running in from all around him when he heard the gunshots start. He ran into the ballroom, trying to find his parents. He needed to know what was happening. As he entered, he saw men dressed in all black entering from the other side. People around him were scattering and shouting, trying to get away. He watched as his father confronted the intruders, not being able to make out what was being said. It was as though Ben was frozen in time. In slow motion, he watched as one of the soldiers raised his gun and fired a single shot through his father’s chest. 

He heard himself screaming. He felt guards and guests push him aside as they ran to save themselves. One of the castle guards finally noticed he was lost in the crowd and grabbed his arm, telling him to run as fast as he can. 

“Sir, you must get to safety. Run away, through the gardens. We will find you. It will be okay,” the guard yelled at him as Ben turned to run. He dashed between scared guests, pushing them as he needed. He didn’t notice when his messenger bag fell off his shoulder. He ran as fast as he could, as far as he could. Once he made it to the edge of the gardens, he finally slowed. He looked back at the castle in shock, as the only home he ever knew was being attacked. He sunk to his knees, reaching for the bag he thought was there. Tears ran down his cheeks as he realized that the only thing he cherished was gone. 

Ben weeped. Everything he knew was gone. His father was dead, and he did not know if his mother made it to safety. He cried out for his grandmother, wishing that she was there to comfort him. He sat there in a daze, not knowing what to do next. Quietly, he rose and began to walk off the castle grounds, not knowing where he would end up. He walked for hours, ending up in Corellia’s Coronet City. Finding a quiet street corner, Ben succumbed to exhaustion. 

By morning, he no longer knew who he was. 


End file.
